MLK’s Impact: Reflections from FedEx Leadership

On the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s passing, members of FedEx Executive Leadership reflect on his enduring legacy and share personal experiences on how he impacted their lives and careers.

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The Strikers’ Typist

“Both my parents were active in advocating for workers’ rights,” says Nancy, who is currently Director of HR for FedEx Express. “Even though I was very little, I have distinct memories of a lot of our dinner conversations centering on social issues, the labor movement and activism. It was very common for my younger sister and I to be carried around on our mother’s hip or on our father’s shoulders at some kind of political rally or union hall meeting.”

In the late 1960’s, Nancy’s mother Bonnie was a secretary for the Retail Clerks International Union (now part of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1529). Her father Taylor was the International Representative for the Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union, Radio and TV Division.

In 1968 sanitation truck drivers in Memphis were white, the men who hauled the garbage were black, and they weren’t allowed to ride inside the truck, no matter what the weather. On February 1st, 1968 a malfunctioning compactor crushed two black sanitation workers who were riding in the back of the truck, trying to stay out of the rain. They were 36-year-old Echol Cole and 29-year-old Robert Walker.

Nancy says both of her parents were horrified by the deaths and disgusted by the way the city responded – giving each man’s family only one month’s pay and $500 to help with funeral expenses.

Those deaths were the spark that led to the historic sanitation workers’ strike, and Nancy’s parents were among the many whites, most of whom were from the faith community, who supported the protest. There’s a newspaper clipping showing the couple marching, holding signs saying showing the AFL-CIO Labor Council’s support. At one of the marches Nancy’s father took part in he was sprayed in the face with mace by police.

“As I recall as a little girl, the racial climate was bad. Once, someone even burned a cross in our front yard.”

The original 33 workers who were trying to get their demands heard by Mayor Henry Loeb needed some clerical help. Nancy said her mother agreed without hesitation. She spent a full day and a half typing 33 letters, each with 2 carbon copies. One for each of the workers, one for the files, and one for the Mayor.

The Mayor’s response to the letters was negative. He refused to meet with the workers. On February 12, 1968, the workers officially began their historic strike. And Bonnie Blair continued to type correspondence for them.

Sometime later, Bonnie traveled to the strikers’ gathering spot – the Firestone Union Hall in North Memphis – to deliver some important papers. When she got there, organizers waved her onto the stage and the workers started yelling “Speech! Speech!”

Nancy recalls her mother saying at that moment she had never been on a stage in front of that many people, let alone asked to speak. But she felt she had no choice, and spoke from the heart.

She told the crowd “Don’t give up! God is on our side! You have every right to be here tonight and to have your request granted by the City of Memphis. So gentlemen, hang in and do not become discouraged. Every day we see more people joining our cause. God is on our side, just remember that!”

The crowd of black men applauded her and shouted their approval. She said it was the proudest moment of her life.

Years later many people would ask her if she was afraid, being the only white person, let alone the only white woman in the building?

Nancy says her mother always said “Are you kidding me? Every man there would have protected me. They were my friends and I was their friend. In all my work with them throughout the strike, I never felt unsafe.”

Nancy’s father Taylor was at Mason Temple April 3rd, and heard Dr. King’s “Mountaintop” speech firsthand. And he was at the Lorraine Motel the next day – the day Dr. King was killed.

Nancy, a 19-year employee with FedEx, says her parents’ influence may be why she enjoys her job so much. “I get to work with people, helping to make sure they are treated fairly. It’s rewarding to know I have the opportunity to help someone.”

Nancy also is involved in charitable work, helping feed the homeless and getting involved in mission trips.

Taylor Blair died 24 years ago. But Bonnie Blair will celebrate her 80th birthday this year. Still active and committed to championing her beliefs, she took part in the 2017 Women’s March in Washington D.C.

“My dad fought for human rights his entire life. My mother continues to do that. She’s a true inspiration.”

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Hearing Through Seeing

For many African-Americans in the South, Wednesday evening is time for Bible Study or mid-week service. On Wednesday, April 3, 1968 at Mason Temple Church of God in Christ in Memphis, the church was filled to capacity – standing room only, including the balcony. Everyone was there to hear the eloquent and dynamic Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speak.

Early in his speech, he said, “Something is happening in Memphis; something is happening in our world.” He continued, “We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn’t matter with me now, because I’ve been to the mountaintop.”

In the years since that night, much of the world has come to know the resounding impact of Dr. King’s words.

A Powerful Silence

Imagine sitting in that audience and not hearing a single word – not a single syllable of Dr. King’s eloquent and powerful speech. Yet, somehow, you understood every word.

That was how William Stewart, now 80 years old, Jesse Reid and Woodly Hunt, both 74 years old, experienced that night 50 years ago. The three men have been Deaf since birth, straddling two culturally challenging environments – being African-American and Deaf in America. Circumstances that significantly limited their career opportunities.

There were 11 Deaf Memphis sanitation workers who participated in the “I Am A Man” strike, which began on February 12, 1968 and lasted more than 60 days. Stewart, Reid and Hunt are the only ones still living.

“Even though we couldn’t hear, it didn’t matter,” Reid says through a sign language interpreter. “The lectures. The speeches. We didn’t hear none of it. Dr. King’s speech – we didn’t hear none of it, but we still kept the dream.

“Our friends would tell us about the speeches. They would gesture to us what was happening. They would help us understand what was going on. None of them (other workers) knew how to sign. They would just gesture to us and point things out. They would tell us to walk here with me. Come with me. And that’s what we did.”

Stewart, Reid and Hunt were part of the group of 1,300 men, who went on strike after two of their co-workers, Echol Cole and Robert Walker, were crushed to death by a malfunctioning truck.

FedEx recently honored several of the surviving sanitation workers as part of its Black History Month celebration in February and in recognition of the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination, which is April 4.

For millennials like Justin Shaw, a Marketing Specialist Advisor at FedEx Services, seeing the sanitation workers – living history and civil rights icons in-person – was a surreal moment and one he’ll never forget.

“Growing up after the Civil Rights era, being able to view the FedEx Black History Month display this year was a jolting reminder of the sacrifices so many made to make my opportunities even possible,” Shaw said. “Even more moving was the opportunity to see FedEx honoring the sanitation workers during our MLK50 event, as it showed me that no matter what the job or title, you can have an impact on the future of the world.”

The Working Poor

Fifty years ago on March 28, Dr. King led a march in support of the “I Am A Man” cause for better working conditions and higher pay. During that time, sanitation workers’ wages were substantially low. In fact, some of the workers relied upon government assistance to support their families.

When Stewart moved from Arkansas and began working for the Memphis Sanitation Department in 1959, he made 95 cents an hour.

“My friend Abe from school told me about working with the sanitation department. He’s deceased now. He would be the first (Deaf worker) and I was the second,” said Stewart, who attended Arkansas School for the Deaf.

In 1967 and 1968, Stewart recruited his friends Reid and Hunt, who lived in Memphis, to join him in the department. Their starting wage was $1.25 per hour.

“It was small money. The pay was small. It was hard, really hard managing everything,” Hunt said. “We just kept on going with it. My wife and I worked through it with managing our bills.”

Grace and Dignity Prevail

Reid said management encouraged them to bring in other Deaf workers, and it didn’t matter that they couldn’t hear.

“We could see and drive. We were all the same humans, Deaf or not. It didn’t matter. We were the same thing,” Stewart said. “We got treated the same. There was no difference between Deaf and hearing workers. We all did the same work, and the work was hard.”

Hunt said, “We carried tubs on our heads. We had to balance them on our heads. They were heavy with dirt and all kinds of trash in them. Then we dumped them in the trucks.”

Although conditions at work were deplorable and wages extremely low, Stewart, Hunt and Reid said it was work they had to do because they had wives, who were also Deaf, and families to support.

“We needed the money. We were poor,” Reid said. “We were cheap labor. We had to do it. We had to keep on working. We did whatever we had to do to survive.”

Deaf Memphis Sanitation Workers and Their Deaf Wives. Left to Right: Beatrice and Woodly Hunt, William and Renonia Stewart, Jesse Reid

Remembering the Past

The courage, strength and fortitude of Stewart, Hunt and Reid were on full display when they boldly walked across the stage in an auditorium packed with FedEx employees. FedEx presented the men and their fellow sanitation co-workers with an award for their commitment to civil rights.

Janas Jackson, Diversity & Affinity Groups Advisor at FedEx Express, said, “Seeing the Memphis Sanitation Workers at our FedEx Black History program brought to my remembrance the painful images of the sanitation strike and the fact that these humble, hardworking men had to say to the world, ‘I Am A Man.’

“As a Memphis kid, I recall being told during the strike that we had to keep our house dark and quiet at night. There could be no TV or radio and I could hear the National Guard trucks humming along neighborhood streets. Fast-forward to that special Black History Month program at FedEx, and our team members were on their feet tearfully applauding the sanitation workers for having the courage to stand up for human dignity and equality. It was truly a day of pride and inspiration.”

Leap of Faith

As the assassination anniversary date nears, the men are reminded of the quote by Dr. King, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

What they did 50 years ago was take a huge and monumental leap of faith not knowing how things would turn out for them, their co-workers and families. But now, they’re happy.

“We’re so happy, happy,” Stewart, Hunt and Reid, said. “We’re all thanking God for it. That we all three lived to see this. We thank God that we’re part of something this big. We’re honored for that.”

Up Next:

FedEx CEO is Committed to Diversity in the Workplace

March 13, 2018

Memphis is home to the FedEx Global Headquarters, so it is fitting that FedEx play a key role in MLK50 – the observance of the 50th anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. believed there is strength in diversity.

Similarly, FedEx believes an inclusive society is a stronger society, and our corporate philosophy is committed to that belief. That philosophy comes directly from the top – our founder and Chairman, Frederick W. Smith explains.

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Giving Ordinary Items Historical Voices

An old Fedora hat. A black and white photo with slightly yellow edges. A worn coat. On the surface, they are single, isolated items. But when do they take on a greater meaning, telling a story that changes lives and history? It’s when the items are part of an exhibit that pays tribute to the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination and honors his legacy.

For more than 30 years, Vivian Montgomery, a Senior Safety Specialist at FedEx Express, has been fulfilling a calling to create African-American historical displays. This passion first began when Montgomery was a student at Texas College in Tyler, TX. The love continued to grow and flourish when she was an officer in the U.S. Army stationed in Germany. Montgomery would volunteer at the Officer’s club and create the displays.

“Some people play golf, I like to create history for others to enjoy,” Montgomery said.

Montgomery brought that passion to FedEx. Since 2007 and as a member of the African-American Network (AAN), one of several diversity and inclusion affinity groups at FedEx, she has created displays at the FedEx Express world headquarters in Memphis to recognize and celebrate Black History Month. This year’s exhibit has greater meaning and significance for her because it’s the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination, and many of the items in the display reflect that time in history.

The brown coat and Fedora hat in this exhibit are representative of items worn by the Memphis sanitation workers during the more than 60-day “I Am A Man” strike, which began on February 12, 1968. More than 1300 workers went on strike after two of their co-workers were crushed to death by a malfunctioning truck. FedEx recognized and honored several of the surviving sanitation workers as part of its Black History Month celebration.

“The Black History Month exhibit paying tribute to the MLK50 anniversary affirms the inequities of our past and encourages me about the future,” said Teleesa Payne Mason, an information services manager at FedEx Services. “To see the photographs, signs and other items from that era, they take me to the time and place that redefined our lives, place and roles in this society.”

Evoking Emotions

Throughout the years, Montgomery has dedicated her own time and resources to travel to states such as Georgia, Alabama and Missouri to get items for the displays so she can complete the vision that supports the theme for the AAN’s event.

As the annual event’s curator of the artwork, Montgomery has always wanted her displays to be seen as historical conduits for people – one that evokes emotions and starts conversations of hope, strength and courage.

“I love history. It’s a reflection of our future, and I believe that when we have an opportunity to bring it to life it sparks questions and memories, which leads us to learning, discussion and growth,” Montgomery said.

One item in the exhibit got people to think. Resting on a table was a poster with a photo of Dr. King in the center and scattered around it were yellow post-it notes. Underneath the picture were the words “I have a dream that one day …” What started out as a blank, black canvas with one photo was soon surrounded with squares of yellow like rays of sunshine during an eclipse.

Some notes filled in the blank by saying: “Peace and love will prevail.” “That we all can live in harmony & love each other regardless of skin color.” “You can’t live without hope.” “I am the dream.”

Telling the Stories

Marlon Sanders, a recruitment manager at FedEx Express, said Montgomery’s displays have always been phenomenal.

“Vivian knocks it out the park every year with her exhibits,” Sanders said. “She has a knack for pulling these exhibits together to tell the story of our past. Her current displays of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and the Sanitation Workers, past exhibits of the Little Rock Nine, the Lunch Counter Sit-In movement, African-American Firsts and others really takes you back in time to reflect what our ancestors endured to make a change for us today. It really makes you want to strive harder and to excel to your fullest capability so the blood, sweat and tears of all those years ago will not be in vain.”

Montgomery said her favorite piece in this year’s exhibit is the black and white mural.

“Each photograph is vibrant and powerful with its own unique voice.” Montgomery said. “You have to stand there and listen for what it’s saying. Each time I look at the photos I hear a different story, but the underlying theme stays the same – please don’t forget. Keep us in your remembrance.”

Remembering the Past

For Willie Brooks the displays are about reflections.

“Vivian’s displays provide an opportunity for you to look back on the past, and they offer us the opportunity to make a difference in the present that may possibly impact the future,” said Brooks, a human resources program manager at FedEx Express.

When collecting the pieces for the exhibit, Montgomery looks for items that tell interesting, hidden or forgotten stories. And in some cases, old stories told through fresh new voices. Many of the pieces have come from people’s personal collections, local television footage, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, National Park Service, the University of Memphis and other locations such as:

Civil Rights Memorial Center, Montgomery Alabama

NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX

National Civil Rights Museum, Memphis, TN

STAX Museum of American Soul Music, Memphis, TN

Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis, TN

“One year we got a voting booth from the 1960’s with a ballot inside from the Shelby County (TN) Election Commission, and the lunch counter from the National Civil Rights Museum,” Montgomery said. “We also paid tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen one year, and we received pieces from Dr. Carnita Atwater (African American International Museum Foundation).”

From NASA, Montgomery said that she got replicas of rockets, space suits, the Lunar Landers and space rocks. From the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, she got video footage from each of the African-American Oscar Award winner’s acceptance speech and ceremony.

Giving Thanks

Ellen Buggs said she looks forward each year to see what Vivian will create with her displays.

“Vivian always does an exceptional job at retrieving archives to display during Black History Month and this year she has done the same,” said Buggs a director administrative assistant at FedEx Services. “The pieces she brought to us this year for MLK 50 was a great remembrance of Dr. King and all of his contributions not only for Memphis but the legacy of his life.”

Montgomery enjoys knowing that people like the displays and the kind of impact a photo, video or rock can bring. She appreciates hearing the accolades from colleagues and people passing by viewing the exhibit, but she said that the credit and those accolades belong to someone else.

“Nothing I have or have achieved is done on my own but only through the power, grace and mercy of GOD,” she said. “For example; when I call on these organizations for help, like the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for film footage, they don’t know me from a tuna fish sandwich, nonetheless we (FedEx Express) have been so fortunate to reap the benefits of their generosity. I find that amazing!”

Looking to the Future

For future displays, Montgomery’s goal is to have 3D exhibits and possibly interactive ones. She wants to use technology to create displays that will give people a multi-dimensional and engaging user-experience while at the same time tell stories that continue to evoke emotions and start conversations.

“Sometimes when I look at the photos and other items in the exhibit, I ask myself, are we really advancing Dr. King’s dream or have we stunted its growth? Then I see people from different backgrounds, ethnicities, various ages and genders become change agents, advocates and taking up social causes.

“For me, that is the hope, courage and strength Dr. King talked about 50 years. And those are the images that I hope to be displayed in future exhibits,” Montgomery said.

Up Next:

Writing for a “Princess”

Imagine you’re a writer, and you get a call one day from a friend asking if you might be available to provide speech-writing assistance to a colleague of his. And then imagine that the colleague turns out to be Yolanda Denise King, daughter of Coretta and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

That’s what happened to Janas Jackson, currently the Diversity and Inclusion Advisor for FedEx Express at the company’s headquarters in Memphis. The friend who called Janas was nationally-renowned author and motivational speaker Les Brown.

“When he told me Yolanda King was interested in talking to me about possible speech-writing help, I almost didn’t believe him. To say I was shocked would be an understatement.”

But the shock wore off a couple of days later when Janas got a call from Yolanda King herself. Thus began a friendship and collaboration that lasted until Yolanda’s untimely death in 2007.

Janas Jackson’s love of the written word has propelled her to a variety of communications roles that have taken her to various parts of the world.

A graduate of Carver High School in Memphis, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and then a Master’s in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Her career accomplishments include serving as communications advisor and chief speechwriter to seven corporate CEOs. She has also served as communications liaison for FedEx operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. As a result of her accomplishments, Janas was awarded FedEx’s highest honor – the FedEx Five Star Award, as well as the Global Communications Excellence Award.

The First Meeting

Days after that fateful call from Yolanda King back in 2003, Janas flew to Yolanda’s Los Angeles home for their first face-to-face meeting.

“As we climbed the stairs and entered her living room, I felt a certain eeriness because there were photos and memorabilia of her father that I had not recalled seeing in the media over the years. I could feel his presence in her home – not as the world’s most noted civil rights leader and Nobel laureate, but as somebody’s daddy.”

They spent the next several hours talking. Janas says Yolanda shared what it was like to grow up as a “King kid” with a larger-than-life father and mother. She recalls Yolanda saying how much she enjoyed when her father would come home, pick her up and put her on top of the refrigerator, then she’d jump down into his arms.

But then came the dark days of death and mourning. Yolanda was 12 years old when she lost her father, and was in high school when she lost her grandmother and uncle. What followed was pain, concerns about personal safety and an overwhelming sense that people expected things of her that she was not able to deliver.

Janas said she listened quietly as Yolanda told her story. At one point Janas asked Yolanda a question that startled her. “I asked her ‘if you had not been the daughter of Dr. King and Ms. Coretta, who would you be?’”

According to Janas, Yolanda paused for a second and then tears filled her eyes. “Of all the interviews I’ve had, no one has ever asked me that question.” After contemplating, she sat up straight and said “Drama is my calling and always has been. As a child, I always loved the theater and acting. I am an actress. I wrote and directed my first play when I was about eight years old and it’s always been a part of me.”

Janas said while reviewing Yolanda’s biographic information, she noticed Yolanda had earned an honorary doctorate, but Yolanda wanted Janas to remove that information. Janas asked her why. The response was “I only have one honorary doctoral degree. My mother has about 40 and so did my father.” Janas remembers laughing and saying “most people don’t even have one! You need to keep that in your profile. It’s seems you’ve been trying to walk and run in your parents’ big shoes.”

A Friendship is Born

Over the next few months Janas and Yolanda became close friends. Janas worked on revising Yolanda’s bio, and created some of the poetic monologues and speeches that spoke to Yolanda’s own vision for peace and personal empowerment and reemphasized her father’s mission. Yolanda would call her on a regular basis just to talk, or to ask for advice on how to best convey a certain idea or concept in one of the many public speeches she was asked to do all over the country.

Yolanda invited Janas to many of her performances, such as the one she did at the King Holiday event at the Tennessee Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville in 2005. Yolanda recited one of the poems Janas had written, which was a tribute to her father. The poem had been set to music by the Nashville Symphony Orchestra.

That same poem, “My Father Was a King,” was read by Yolanda at the groundbreaking ceremony of the King Memorial in Washington, D.C. in 2006. * (The title was amended for that event to “Our Father was a King” because Yolanda’s siblings were present.)

Janas says some of the most endearing memories of Yolanda center on her warmth, humility and thoughtfulness.

Yolanda once starred in a production of “A Raisin in the Sun” at Cornell University. “I flew to Ithaca, New York to see the performance,” Janas recalls. “When I happened to mention that I love waterfalls, Yolanda spent an entire day taking me around to all the beautiful waterfalls in Ithaca. Even though she was scheduled to appear on stage before a sell-out crowd in a matter of hours, she hiked around with me through the mud and mist just so I could enjoy those waterfalls.”

Yolanda celebrated her 50th birthday in November of 2005 with two parties – one in Los Angeles and one in Atlanta. Janas attended the one in Atlanta which included a host of famous friends and family. “There were poetry readings, interpretive dances, songs performed by celebrity artists like Stephanie Mills and stars from Tyler Perry movies and speeches from people who knew her from childhood. And the party didn’t end until Yolanda had hugged everybody in the room.”

When Coretta Scott King died in 2006, Janas was invited to sit in the family and friends section at the funeral, which was attended by four U.S. Presidents. Yolanda asked Janas to create a tribute to her parents titled “Together Forever”, which was read by Yolanda, her sister Bernice and brother Martin II when their parents’ remains where entombed together at the King Center in Atlanta.

Continuing the Legacy

Yolanda spent her last days organizing and archiving her mother’s belongings in Atlanta. It was a monumental task – there were so many artifacts, articles and years of documents that needed to be inventoried.

“I think at times it became overwhelming for her, not just physically but emotionally,” says Janas. Yolanda King outlived her mother by only 16 months, succumbing to complications related to a chronic heart condition on May 15, 2007.

“Like her father, she left us far too soon,” says Janas. “She spent her adult years trying to lift others to higher ground, encouraging them to find inner peace and to use their talents and strengths to improve their own lives and the lives of others.”

Janas attended Yolanda’s funeral in Atlanta and recalls thinking how similar the home-going services were to the 50th birthday celebration – with poems, songs, dance and speeches from longtime friends.

“While she wasn’t there to hug everybody at Ebenezer Church, we could still feel her warmth because she hugged everybody while she lived.”

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The Strike that Brought Hope to Memphis Sanitation Workers

Surviving Memphis sanitation workers recall their 1968 campaign for economic equality, and the final moments of Dr. King’s life.

“I remember when I was hired by the Memphis Department of Public Works on April 15, 1967,” recalls Rev. Cleophus Smith. “This particular morning, it was cold. I’m talkin’ about cold, cold. We didn’t have sufficient gloves, clothes, nor did we have water to drink on the job.”

Mid-January, 1968: Memphis, Tenn. The low on most days around this time of year was 19 degrees Fahrenheit (°F). The high, falling somewhere in the mid-20s. Hundreds of men – black workers for the Memphis Department of Public Works – went to work each day in the cold, sometimes having to brave freezing rain, sleet, or snow, too.

No gloves. Holes visible in their shoes. No uniforms. And, to top it off, they were exposed to dangerous working conditions having to carry open tubs of garbage to their trucks; most of the tubs had holes with filthy trash and liquid seeping through the cracks.

76-year-old Ozell Ueal shared Cleophus’ sentiments about that cold, treacherous day where there was an expectation to get the job done before heading home.

Both men are sanitation workers who went on strike with more than 600 of their peers 50 years ago in Memphis. A unanimous vote was made among the men to strike in protest of low wages and unsafe working conditions.

“A man with the nickname ‘Hookin Bull’ goes and gets a #3 wash tub, and he gets a long rope which he ties to the handle of the wash tub, and then ties it to the back of the truck,” said Rev. Smith. “Well, he ended up making us a fire in the tub, and that’s how we kept warm! We would walk up to the tub to warm our hands since we didn’t have gloves. I remember my shoes had a hole in the bottom.”

Mr. Ueal recounts having a pretty hard time.

“The reason we went on strike was for better working conditions for our families. We were low paid making around $5.00 for a 9-hour workday. When we went on strike, people started donating from all over the country. At one time we were on food stamps for a while.”

On Feb. 1, two of the workers, Echol Cole and Robert Walker, were crushed to death by a malfunctioning truck. Prompted by the horrific deaths, the sanitation workers were determined to change the status quo. There were no policies nor benefits in place to protect them and support their hard work. In the spring of 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. traveled to Memphis, to support the sanitation workers strike.

“When Dr. King came to Memphis, we felt there was hope,” said Rev. Smith. “Things started getting shaky for us after that speech, but it instilled in us to keep our hope and the dream alive, so that’s what we tried to do.”

Dr. King delivered his final “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech to the workers the night before he was assassinated.

Hope Fulfilled

The Memphis sanitation workers’ strike is now connected to the iconic “I Am a Man” slogan, which verbalized their humanity as men – not a boy, garbage man, sanitation worker, but a man.

The NAACP, ministers, students and community leaders both black and white, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., supported their efforts for change. Despite the dangers of arrest, police assaults and negative press coverage, the strikers rallied and marched for racial and economic justice. Even in the days after Dr. King’s assassination, a silent march of over 42,000 people was held in his honor. On April 16, 1968, the Memphis City Council acknowledged the workers and their union.

Elmore Nickleberry, 86, still works for the Memphis sanitation department today. He is listed as the longest working sanitation worker in the city of Memphis.

“I’ve been with the sanitation department 63 years,” he said softly. “I went to work before the strike and I stay active to this day.”

In honor of the workers’ resilience and the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination, FedEx brought four of the surviving sanitation workers – Ozell Ueal, Rev. Cleophus Smith, Elmore Nickleberry, and James Winton to the 2018 NAACP Image Awards in Pasadena, CA. The NAACP honored the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers with the Vanguard Award at the ceremony on January 15 for their courage and determination. The ceremony was broadcast live to millions of viewers on the TVOne network.

“The Memphis Sanitation Workers made history by standing up for principles that we at FedEx have embraced since our company’s inception,” said Shannon Brown, Senior Vice President and Chief HR and Diversity Officer at FedEx Express. “Those bedrock principles include maintaining an environment where all people are treated with dignity and respect. As a company, it was indeed a privilege for FedEx to fly these courageous history-makers to Pasadena where they were honored during the live national telecast. We continue to salute the Memphis Sanitation Workers for their commitment to civil rights and human dignity.”

“We received a lot of support during the strike,” said Rev. Smith. “A lot of days we would march and people would come out of their homes to join us. We didn’t know them, but this was the type of support we received. Thanks be to God. We overcame.”

Up Next:

The Girl on the Balcony

Millions have seen the image. Moments after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was fatally shot on April 4, 1968, photographer Joseph Louw captured the moment when those with Dr. King on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel all pointed to an area across the street.

“In the moments following the shot, as King lay unconscious on the balcony, his comrades turned their attention to a sight in the distance: the assassin, getting away. They pointed their fingers in concert in the direction of his flight.” Joseph Louw, speaking to Life Magazine the week after the assassination, as quoted in Time Magazine, April 2015.

On the balcony that day, standing with Andrew Young, Ralph Abernathy, Rev. Samuel “Billy” Kyles and others who were part of Dr. King’s supporters, was a young woman with white bobby socks. She was 18-year-old Mary Louise Hunt, a freshman at what was then called Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis). She was one of the many college students taking part in the marches and protests to support striking Memphis sanitation workers. She would later go on to work at FedEx. We spoke with her sister, Memphis City Court Judge Earnestine Hunt Dorse, and a couple of her former co-workers to find out more.

Early Activism

Mary Louise Hunt was the second of five daughters. Their mother was a homemaker and their father worked in construction. Earnestine was born two years after Mary. Orange Mound was the Memphis neighborhood where the sisters were born and raised. They were very active in their church, Mt. Pisgah CME. Both Mary and Earnestine sang in the choir and their social lives centered around church activities. Mary graduated from Melrose High School in 1967.

Both Mary and Earnestine were active with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) which had a youth choir at the time. “It was the young people, all high schoolers, early college. We sang at every mass meeting. Mary and I marched in just about every protest. Since she was a couple of years older than me, she had to take me with her everywhere,” recalls Earnestine.

Mary’s organizational and clerical skills made her a key asset to the protest movement.

“That was her strong suit. She was an excellent clerical support person. Back then we had mimeograph machines and she would do all the fliers and leaflets. I was the ‘honeybun’ girl – I gave out honeybuns to the strikers.”

They regularly associated with people who would go on to be history-makers themselves – SCLC leaders James Orange and James Bevel, former U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young and Kwanzaa creator Ron Karenga.

Mary, Earnestine and the rest of the youth choir sang at Mason Temple on the night of April 3rd, 1968. They were in the choir stand right behind Dr. King as he delivered what was to be his final speech.

April 4th, 1968

Planning for the protests and marches usually took place at Clayborn Temple. But on April 4th, 1968, organizers were at the Lorraine Motel.

“We were at the Lorraine eating at the restaurant and getting instructions for the next march. Mary had to stay to handle some clerical work and I got a ride home.”

A few hours later Mary called home, distraught.

“Mary called me to tell me that Dr. King had been shot. She was hysterical, saying the police were taking her downtown for interrogation. She wanted us to know that much. We didn’t see her until the next day.”

Earnestine says her sister was truly traumatized by the assassination. “She never really talked much about it. She didn’t understand why it happened. The only times she ever really talked about what happened was when the Associated Press called trying to verify where Jesse Jackson was. That went on for years.”

“One of the most vivid memories I have about the days after the assassination was the fact that the National Guard was out everywhere. We were stuck where we were – couldn’t move as freely. But Mary and I did see Dr. King’s body at the funeral home. And most of the choir members went to Atlanta for the funeral.”

After the Assassination

Mary went on to be part of Resurrection City, a 3,000 person protest camp on the Washington Mall, organized by the SCLC and led by Rev. Ralph Abernathy in the wake of Dr. King’s death. The campaign demanded economic and human rights for poor Americans.

“We felt it was the next thing we ought to do, to complete what Dr. King wanted to have done.”
In later years, Mary would quietly blaze a few trails of her own.

She became one of Pan Am Airlines’ first African-American flight attendants. Later, she decided to change careers to join a “new airline company in town” – Federal Express.

“She was one of the first employees shortly after FedEx started. She worked there for a few years, left, then came back in the 1980s.”

Her “take care of business” attitude and organizational skills are what some of her former FedEx co-workers remember about her. She worked at FXTV (now known as FedEx Productions – the company’s in-house video production department).

“She used to always organize group lunches and gatherings,” says retired FedEx videographer/editor Ed Webb, who worked with Mary for eight years.

“She kept us all on track – made sure we were staying on schedule with our projects.”

Retired former co-worker Norm Abramson remembers Mary’s thoughtfulness. “She was always someone who tried to help people whenever she could. She often brought baked goods or other dishes to work for me to take home to share with my wife.”

Mary bravely battled breast cancer for many years. “At one point the cancer was in remission,” says Earnestine. “But it eventually came back.”

Mary’s personal account of witnessing one of the most pivotal moments in American history was never shared publicly. At one point she finally agreed to tell her story at a public event hosted by a Memphis City Councilman in 1992. But just days before that event took place, she became gravely ill. Earnestine recalls “she had a brain bleed that affected her mobility and her ability to talk.” She passed away a few days later, right before her 42nd birthday. She was survived by her son who was then just 10 years old.

There’s no way to know how many people Mary influenced throughout her life. But at least one person – Ed Webb – credits Mary’s encouragement for making him a better person.

“I had slacked off, stopped going to church. She kept pushing me to go back and get involved. And now, I’m an ordained minister. I thank Mary for that.”

Up Next:

FedEx Honors the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

FedEx is joining the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta and a number of other organizations across the U.S. in honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as we approach the 50th anniversary of his assassination. It’s part of a national commemorative campaign known as MLK50.

With Memphis as our global headquarters hometown, FedEx has a deep connection to Dr. King’s legacy, and the company is playing an important role in honoring his contributions while amplifying his message of inclusion, opportunity and service.

Hundreds of FedEx team members are taking part in the Jan. 15th Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service in 12 cities across the country.

Additionally, FedEx is supporting several national MLK50 events and initiatives in the coming months.

We’ll be posting stories of FedEx team members who have surprising connections to the King family and the events of April 4, 1968.

You’ll also hear from team members who will be telling their stories about how their lives are being impacted through their commit to perform 50 acts of kindness or service over the next few months.

And the company’s top leadership will discuss why FedEx is committed to taking part in the MLK50 initiative and why diversity and inclusion have been core principals since the company’s founding in 1973.

We hope you check in on this blog site weekly as we share the many ways FedEx is honoring the memory and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Comments on The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Lived in Atlanta for three years and visited Dr. King’s gravesite once or twice monthly. Each time I visit the city, I go there and walk around for a bit. More people need to be judged, as he said, primarily by the content of their character.

I remember the events of 1968 so well, although I was only 11 years old at the time of his assassination. Rev. King has been particularly inspirational for me, standing up for something he believed in, something he believed in so strongly that he put himself in harm’s way to effect change. That is true love – laying down one’s life for your friends. I pray that we never forget his message, so eloquently expressed in his “I Have a Dream” speech, that we judge others not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. That is a transcendental message that withstands the test of time.

Honoring the Legacy of Dr. King, for me is my spiritual foundation, humility, love for my fellow human being, no mater the race or background. My work ethic and daily life, are mirrored after Leaders such as my Parents and Dr. King. I am a proud African American Woman, because of the strength and the courage of Dr. King and many, many other longsuffering, Africans and African Americans, before and after him. Lastly,I am proud to work for a Company, that allows me to express such a sentiment. Thank you,
Lisa Hibbert

Dr. King opened the gates to a GM factory job for this white woman who could never have gotten a job there before. I am forever grateful for my GM pension and so much more. He was brave, loved everyone no mater the color and gave this nation something to be very proud of. He paid for it with his life.

I am a Minority but Today I have a great job working for a one of the top fortune 500 companies to have this opportunity to work for FedEx where the possibilities for growth are endless I am grateful an honored to be a recipient of all the hard work and vision he marched and unfortunately gave his life for thank you Dr. King for the sacrifices you made I would not be in this position without your vision and message thank you….

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was more then a man, he was a movement. He stood for a many great beliefs, that values, equality, love, and peace even in conflict could all be a part of change an growth of people. The most important lesson that I learned of Dr. Kings life, his struggles, and his untimely death, is to do the moral thing. It may not be easy all the time but it adds value to my life and my children’s life. I wish that on his anniversary we could all add acceptance of differences, love for our neighbors, and understanding to our daily actions. Thanks FedEx for not forgetting this great man and participating in remebering his great journey!!!

Had The Chance To Meet WWII Tuskegee Airman Pilot Colonel Charles McGee In Hawaii In 2017. I Thank Him For Paving The Way For Me In Aviation. I Can Only Imagine What I Would Have Said To Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr If I Could Have Meet Him.

Dr. King defied the odds when he stood up for social justice, inclusion and civility for mankind. He made it possible for me and many others to enjoy the freedom to educate our children in the US. God Bless MLK and surely the “Dream Lives On”

Living here in Memphis, I was nine years old at the time Dr. King was shot. I remember my mother sat us all down together (13 children) and said “Ya’ll, they have shot King.” She squatted down near us, and we all cried. At that moment, all possibility for equality, fairness, and justice I thought was gone forever. However, as I now look back and look forward, things are not so bleak. There has been a lot of progressive changes throughout the world. I often feel there is a bit more that can be done to make individuals feel inclusive. Everyone wants the best for themselves and their families — good schools, good neighborhoods (safe shelter), good food, vacations, etc. WOW, to live the American Dream! We can all share in Dr. King’s dream — it’s enough to go around, and you may just find the world would be a better place to live.

I was 6 when he was assassinated and being a kid I didn’t understand what all the fuss was about. As I got older and did my thought was WOW just because he had a different view of what America needed to be..thanks MLK

I am so proud to be an employee of FedEx and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (Montgomery County MD) chapter also know as the Monument Chapter where the idea of erecting a statue for our Fraternity brother in Washington DC.

I was 9 years old when Dr. King was murdered. I can visualize the very moment. I was on kitchen duty on Mr. V’s plantation in Mississippi and my mother screamed so loud I believe all of the world stood still. Though so many lives have been sacrificed for equality, today we recognize Dr. King. Dr. King vision is empowered by our stand for justice for everyone. Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. MLK. I am committed to never hate anyone.

I recall seeing Dr. King speak in Rockville Centre, NY on March 28, 1968 a little more than a week prior to his assassination. Sitting audience with my Great Grandmother and Aunt watching him interact with my Uncle Rev. Morgan M. Days. I sat there in amazement as his voice echoed throughout the auditorium. Every word clear and distinct and from the heart. When hearing of what had taken place on April 4th of that year everyone within our community wept as we all realized from our experience the week prior that greatness was removed from our lives, that his words were truly something to carry and live by for the remainder of our existence.

Very proud of FedEx for their day of service. Although the company doesn’t recognize this as a holiday giving their employees the day off, there are plenty of “work” volunteer events for employees to participate in.

Eventhough Dr. Kings influence and vision empowered us and spurned many changes in public policy, I feel his focus went beyond that. His focus was that people would submit themselves to God and be transformed in their hearts and minds. Without such transformation true change is a façade. God searches the heart of man. You can’t fool Him.

My heart is so overjoy for the people who made a stand against prejudice and inequality. I salute those who came before Mr. King who gave their lives for America to be a just Country and other countries who people also gave their lives. We have still have more work to do by each person seeing wrong and to recognize it. Thanks FEDEX for acknowledging that.

I’m so happy to be apart of a company that took out the time to acknowledge such greatness! I was only 4yrs of age when his young life was cut short! But I have pasted what he stood for on to my son and were sharing,showing the dream to my grandson. Don’t look at this day as a holiday! Give back! Reach one teach one! Will keep this dream alive and not a nightmare!

Dr. King was a dreamer and a drum major for justice. He inspired and uplifted people all over the world. His message(s) will endure the test of time. In order to honor his legacy, we must keep pushing forward.

Enjoying MLK Day. My great uncle Kearney was a sanitation worker during the civil rights era. Also, FedEx Employees in TN made the local news. I would like to get involved in future FedEx Service Projects, since I have not participated in a service project.

A kind hello from Germany, the country of MLK’s namesake Martin Luther who founded Protestantism some 500 years ago. They shared deep trust in Jesus Christ, and this made them achieve phenomenal things. Why not take these two Martins as your role models?

I am so thankful, this article was written. I feel blessed to have read her story. And proud, to know that she continued to follow and honor Dr. King’s legacy. You never know who your co workers are. Nor where they have been.

WOW! Storytelling at its VERY BEST! What a compelling, warm and powerful blog post. So proud of our team member and friend, Janas Jackson for having such a powerful influence and direct impact on a historical icon and movement.

I have to brag that Janas is my cousin and for as long as I can remember she’s always been a gem — super smart, humble and always seeing the best in others. What a great story Pam. Well written and so enlightening. Congratulations to both of you fine ladies, and to FedEx for being a great company for diversity and inclusion.

Throughout my life I have studied and wrote papers about the life and achievements of MLK. The level of respect I have for this true American is unmeasurable. He will always be remembered in my thoughts and prayers. His life will never be forgotten. Thank you MLK for all that you have done to shape who I am today.

June, thank you so much for your vote of confidence. I am equally as proud to brag that you are my cousin given the enormous and versatile talents you bring to FedEx and beyond. As always, you rock!!!!!

Sitting at my desk crying….cause’ words cannot express my gratitude. If not for GOD!…If not for the sanitation workers, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rev. James Edward Orange, Alice Paul, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Walter Francis White and a many others.. I know that I wouldn’t be sitting behind a desk, BUT…the struggle is not over.
I wish that I could see more unity on a daily basis in our communities, churches, schools, judicial system, board rooms, businesses, (etc.). We should be the example that we want to see. We should give more of ourselves to help others. Why not volunteer….I do.
“We Hold These Truths To Be Self-Evident, That All Men Are Created Equal, And Are Endowed By Their Creator With Certain Unalienable Rights, That Among These Are Life, Liberty And The Pursuit Of Happiness.”(United States Declaration of Independence, July, 1776).
FedEx thank you for this story and your humanitarian efforts over the years.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character – Dr. MLK.

The message from the top is not only inspiring, but soothing, practical and possible…not only in America….as the Visionary has said, but across over 400 000 team members across the globe…Middle East, Europe, Asia Pacific & Africa!

Dr. King gave the ultimate sacrifice for freedom, justice, and equality for us all. His life has been an extreme inspiration to me in my life and I am so proud to work for a company that honors his legacy.

I was very young when Dr. King was assassinated. I remember they televised his funeral and that was the first time I saw my parents cry. They mourned a great man. I am happy to say that realized Dr. King’s greatness early in my life.

What an awesome and inspiring story…To see these gentlemen and know all they’ve been through is amazing! Dr. Martin Luther King’s courage and vision were incredible, and he’s a continual inspiration to so many!
Good job on the story, Phyllis!

I attended the April 3, 1968, Southern Christian Leadership Conference event. I was born and raised around the corner from Mason Temple Church of God In Christ. During that time Mason Temple was the largest building a group of Black Americans could gather in Memphis. I was on the 4th row and clearly remembered the “Mountaintop” speech. I am very proud to say that my father was a supervisor at one the largest barns located in Memphis . I say with great honor that my family personally experienced some very economical hardships when my father made the decision to walked with his workers. I remembered when he stated “they do work under horrible conditions” and I refuse to assign or give anyone that cross the picket line their jobs. There were many days when my father would not report if a worker called in; he would work their shift to make sure their pay would not be taken from their checks. They had no sick time or other benefits to protect them as we do here at FedEx. I am very proud and applaud FedEx for recognizing these great men for courage who stood up and endured the hardship they experienced for simply seeking higher pay to take care of their families.

Thank you Phyllis A. Fair for acknowledging the deaf community with this great blog. My parents are hearing impaired and these gentlemen are their close friends. We all go to the same church and to see them talk about their experience was amazing. I thank you and fedex for sharing with our colleagues. Great Job!!!!

Maya Angelou once said, ‘You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated…’ Thank you for sharing this account of courage, perseverance and bravery. May their sacrifices never be forgotten.

Nancy this was such an awesome story. Your parents were truly trail blazers. Thank God for the many whites who had the courage and integrity during the civil right era. When I go back and read history, thereare so many stories, good, bad, and ugly. I often wondered how life would be if Dr. King was alive. The death of the two black men that were crushed to death, and how they were treated was what brought Dr. King to Memphis. 50 years later some things have changed, but there are a lot of things that could be better. I would love to see FedEx honor Dr. King with a national holiday for the employees.

Wonderful story of the strength it took to for the deaf community to forge forward and live their lives as men with equal opportunity to have jobs regardless of their challenges and ultimately be heard. Ironic. Great to see today’s young leaders unite to take a stand for what they believe in also. I’m proud to work for FedEx with everything they do to create an empowered workforce with high recognition of equality and honor the past that enabled today’s atmosphere and tomorrow’s future.

Remember the man and his conviction for a better world. Honor his legacy because it’s needed more now than ever. On a day of his remembrance I also remember Maya Angelou for today is her birthday with one of my favorite quotes.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

I am honored to work for an organization that truly appreciates the importance of Dr. King’s legacy and the cause for which he and so many others fought. In my opinion, the significance of his legacy is that it provides the blueprint, the motivation and the moral justification to continue their cause and resist the forces of division that persist to this day. Dr. King once noted that the ultimate tragedy is not the cruelty of bad people, but the silence over it of good people. Rather than remain silent, our company has chosen to take a leading role in combating those forces that would divide us. We do so by actively embracing not only diversity but INCLUSION; not only tolerance, but APPRECIATION. Furthermore, we participate in (and/or fund) dozens of charitable initiatives that help to close the opportunity gap in underserved communities here and across the globe. I would like to thank FedEx for honoring the legacy of Dr. King by taking heed to his call.

I was 12 years old when Dr. King was killed and I remember my mom and dad how they sat us down and told us about this, as they were talking about it several of my aunts and uncles came by the house and there was such a sadness in there eyes I believe this is the first time I ever say my dad cry. As they gathered we kids were told to leave the room but we sneaked and listen to what they were saying and they said that we will not let his death be in vane that we will carry on the torch of freedom and civil rights and do what we have to in a non violent way. It was not easy especially when we began going to the segregated schools one of our family members always waited with us to catch the bus as well as when we came back home to ensure that we got the education that we were entitled to. I can say that our family has Doctors, Lawyers, Judges, Professors , Accountants and a lot of hard working adults that took the torch and ran with it. I am grateful to know that his legacy will live on and that I work for a company that Keeps hope alive.

That video was very well done. It is great to have such a compassionate and diverse organization here in Memphis. The comments from those who lived through that tragic day in 1968 break my heart, but I also know it was not in vain and his legacy lives on! #MLK50

WOW! Now how great was that to witness the impact and hear the testimony of our senior Leadership with regards to Dr. King. Moved to tears, fore Dr. Martin Luther King is one of my most inspiring idols. FedEx as a company continues to make me proud to be an employee. I really appreciate the tribute. Thank You – Bruce Tucker

I was in Memphis a few years ago for
FedEx, we went to the hotel where Martin Luther King was assassinated. There was a field trip going on with about 25 grade school students in the group. Just seeing this made me think, what else could he have accomplished in his like for these kids and the world. It is sad a life gone to soon 39 years young

What an amazing piece with such a profound message featuring our executive management. I am truly honored to be able to work at an organization such as FedEx, and afforded opportunities that weren’t available to others in 1968, which is what brought Dr. King to Memphis in the first place. I owe a great deal of my success to Dr. King and his dream and sacrifice for equality and justice for all. #MLK50

FedEx exemplifying the Purple Promise! Its humbling and yet awesome to work for a company such as FedEx that supports and recognizes the significance of honoring the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.!

I am so thankful and proud of the Life and Legacy of not only Dr. King but of my parents and grandparents who sacrificed so much and worked so hard for justice so that I am blessed to have the life and opportunities that I have today. I honor and respect them do much. I honor them by the way I treat people with dignity and respect, just as I want to be treated, also by going to the polls and to vote during every election. I honor them by having a strong work ethic and not taking what they have done for all of us for granted. I thank you FedEx for honoring Dr. King and his legacy. I thank you for being a company that I can honestly say I am very proud to work for